This article attempts to add up what a stay-at-home mom would earn if she were paid for the various duties she performs. They left out a few, but I'm not going to quibble over details. The thing is, if I wanted money I would take a paying job. I don't want money, and I don't want a guilt-ridden acknowledgement once a year that I'm over-worked and under-paid.

How about this: instead of making a show once a year of appreciating your mom, why don't you do something to ease her burden instead? Throw your own wrappers away when you open something. Empty the dishwasher. Put your dirty dishes in it. Help chop the vegetables for dinner. Take out the recycling and/or the trash without being asked. Go grocery shopping. Put your crap away. If you misplace something, find it your own damn self without bothering her. Fold your own laundry and put it away. Better yet, fold the ENTIRE FAMILY'S laundry and put it away. Give your mom a break. Don't take advantage of your mother's lower tolerance for mess, knowing that she'll clean it up before you get around to it. Keep things the way your mom likes it, not the way you feel like making it.

Call her. Visit her. Take her out to lunch and shopping. Bring over a movie and watch it with her. If you don't know what she likes or what she thinks, start by talking to her for once. Let her know you realize she's a person, a real human being, not just another fixture in the house for your own convenience, like the water heater or the plumbing system.

Put yourself in her shoes. What would you want, if you had her job? What would make your life easier, more enjoyable? Maybe one grand gesture is not nearly as important as a thousand little ones throughout the year.